Avoiding the Food Rut

Do you feel like you are stuck in a food rut and struggling to get your kids to eat healthy foods?

Just because we are supposed to be physically distancing doesn’t mean we need to stay inside and eat junk food. This is a great time to incorporate plant-based foods into your diet. While I love supplements, it is always best if you can get your vitamins and nutrients directly from food.

One of the easiest ways to do this with kids is by making snack plates. You can even do this for lunch instead. Lunch is the meal where I try to experiment with new foods and new presentations as I don’t mind if they don’t eat as much because there is always afternoon snack and dinner time.

Here are my top tips to get your kids to eat healthier foods:
1. Start in the morning. If they see veggies on their plate at every meal including breakfast, they are more likely to eat them than if they are just served at dinner. Some ideas - try adding finely grated carrots and/or zucchini to oatmeal, throw a handful of spinach into pancake batter, make a beet smoothie, or even serve veggies on the side!

2. Cook veggies in different ways. Roast them, steam them, eat them raw, put them in soup. Try them many ways and many times. It can take 10-15 times before you like something. And don’t forget about spices for added flavor - cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, sumac, ceylon cinnamon, etc.

3. Stay consistent and don’t sweat it. If you make too big of a deal out of a certain food, your kids may protest it. Donʼt let their moods, teething, growth spurts or peer pressure cause you to second guess yourself. Serve healthy food when YOU want and let THEM decide IF and HOW much they will eat.

4. Teach them how vegetables grow; kids love to learn! Show them how to grow veggies. Even if you just take a small pot and plant some seeds- it’s fun to see the magic in your kids eyes as the plant grows. You can even try @lettucegrow if you have a small space.